The project "Following the most massive galaxy clusters over cosmic time" (M2C) aims at testing the standard Λ Cold Dark Matter scenario for the formation of collapsed structures. It is funded by a 5-year ERC Advanced Grant awarded to Dr Monique Arnaud. Our test laboratory will be the most massive clusters of galaxies and their evolution, discovered by taking advantage of the advent of cluster detection via the Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect. The project will also provide a benchmark for the gravity-driven evolution of the gas as it is accreted into the dark matter potential.

Team members:

M. Arnaud (PI; X-ray and SZ analysis, clusters)

H. Aussel (optical/IR observations, galaxy formation)

I. Bartalucci (X-rays)

A. Le Brun (simulations)

J.-B. Melin (detection in SZ and X-ray, clusters)

G.W. Pratt (X-ray and SZ analysis, clusters)

P. Tarrio-Alonso (detection)

R. Teyssier (numerical simulations)

R. van der Burg (optical)

Distribution of SZ sources in the first 15.5 months of the Planck survey (Planck Collaboration XXIX, 2013). Image used by permission of M. Douspis and N. Aghanim